Gas absorption



July 11, 1939. F. H. KRANz' 5,

GAS ABSORPTION Filed bee. 10,1936

Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATE NT OFFICE GAS ABSORPTION Frederick H. Kranz, Buflalo, N. Y., assignor to National Aniline New York, N. Y.,

& Chemical Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application December 10, 1936, Serial No. 115,162 2 Claims. (Cl. 23-3) mixture with a suitable liquid scrubbing medium.

It is an object of this invention to provide a process for effectively scrubbing a gas with a liquid absorbing medium, which process involves high contact efliciency between the. gas and liquid scrubbing medium,- requires relatively inexpensive equipment for its practice, and is economical to practice. Other objects and advantages will be made evident as the description progresses.

According to the present invention, a unit stream of scrubbing liquid is subdivided into a plurality of spaced separate substantially equal streams, each of relatively small cross-sectional area. A unit stream of gas is likewise subdivided into a plurality of spaced separate streams, each of relatively small cross-sectional area. Each of these gas streams ascends in intimate contact with an individual stream of liquid. Following the intimate contact of the separate streams of gas and liquid, the streams of liquid may be united into a unit stream and the streams of gas which have been scrubbed by contact with the liquid may also be united into a unit stream.

I have found that by subdividing a unit stream ,of gas into a plurality of separate streams, each of relatively small transverse section, and in each of which the gas is contacted with a stream of absorbing liquid, the contact efliciency is much higher than where the entire stream of gas flows upwardly in a large diameter column in contact with a single stream of liquid. The absorbing liquid, in accordance with this invention, is distributed in substantially equal amounts to form a plurality of substantially like streams which flow downwardly into contact with the various ascending gas streams. As the resistance to flow encountered by the various'gas streams is substantially equal, the flow of gas in' the various streams of gas is substantially-equal; Operating in this manner, channeling of the gas as it flows into contact with the liquid absorbing medium is minimized, if not entirely eliminated.

To secure a large contact surface in each stream, the liquid is flowed downwardly within a tube through packing material such as Raschig rings or the like. Preferably the packed length of each tube should be at least twenty-five times the diameter of the tube. I have found that optimum results are obtained by so confining the flow of individual streams of gas and liquid that the cross-sectional area of eachstream does not exceed about seven square inches.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification and showing for purposes of exemplification a preferred form of, thisinven-.

tion, without limiting the claimedinvention to such illustrative instance,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an absorption-columnadapted for practice of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

The gas scrubbing column I is closed at its lower end, and is equipped with a gas inlet conduit 2 and a liquid drain pipe 3 which may be; provided with suitable valves (not shown). The upper end of the column is provided at 4 with a gas outlet conduit 5. Scrubbing liquid is fed to the upper end of the column through a pipe 6.

In general, the column comprises a packed tube section II! and a liquid distributing section II, both of which are contained within a large diameter pipe l2. Near the lower end of pipe l'2 and above gas inlet conduit 2 is a tube plate I4 secured about its periphery to the pipe. The

lower ends of a multitude of spaced tubes I5 are secured Within openings of the tube plate l4.

The tubes l5 preferably are filled to a height at least 25 times the diameter of the tubes with conventional packing material I6,- which suitably may be Raschig rings. The packing material in thetubes is supported by conventional means, as for example, a tapered spiral I! of wire or a slotted cap attached to the lower end of each tube. Spaced from the upper end of the pipe i2 and below pipes 5 and 6 is a second tube" plate H? which is also secured about its periphery to the pipe. The upper end of each of the tubes I5 is secured in an opening in the plate l8.

To distribute liquid introduced through the pipe 6 which extends into the distributing section II of the pipe l2 above the tube plate It substantially equally to each of the tubes 15 there is provided a distributing sprayer l9. Theupper end of pipe I2 is closed by a cover which is secured to a flange 2| about the end of the pipe. A sight glass 22 is mounted eccentrically in the cover, through which the distributing action within the pipe may be observed. A bearing 23 is centrally located in the coverwithin the upper end of which packing material is held in place by packing nut .24. Shaft 25 carried by the bearing 23 is supported at its upperend by bearing 26 rigidly supported from the cover 20 by means of arms 21. To retain shaft 25 in proper vertical which5 drain to form equal streams.

outlet 33.

adjustment, safety collars 2B are provided thereon both above and below the bearing 26. Keyed.

to the upper end of shaft 25 isa drive pulley 29, driven from any suitable source of power. Secured to the lower end of the shaft is a conical sprayhead 3|! forming a cup into which the pipe 6 delivers scrubbing liquid. A multitude of partitions3l are secured to the upper surface of tube plate I8 dividingit into a multitude of equal segments withineach of which is located the upper end. of one of the tubes l5. As the sprayhead 30 delivers an equal quantity of liquid in all directions the quantity delivered to each segment and hence to each tube is equal.

Gas introduced into the column conduit 2 divides into a plurality of equal streams, each ascending one of the pipes l5 countercurrent to a flow of absorbing liquid introduced through the pipe 6 and delivered by the sprayer la in equal portions to each of the segments Scrubbed gas leaves the column: by the conduit 5 while the I liquid leavesthe :column by'the pipe 3. The columnmay be-provided with a suitable pump for recirculating the liquid therethrough; the circulating system being equipped with an inlet line for addition of fresh scrubbing liquid from time 'to time as may be required and also a bleed line or drawoif for withdrawing saturated scrubbing liquid.

Packed tube section of column l may also be equipped with a liquid inlet 32 and an outlet 33 for circulating any suitable fluid in heat exchange relation 'with the tubes 1| so as to maintain them at any desired temperature. Thus, in accordance with this invention, the scrubbing of the gas may be carried 'out' at an optimum temperature for most effective results, and this temperature may --be maintained constantby regulating the flow of heating or cooling fluid through inlet 32 and The following exam les are given by way of illustration of the operation of the process of this 2"in diameter and was packed with China rings.

7 divided into equal streams l through the packed tubesinvention in a column having five tubes, as shown inthe drawing, each of which was 16' long and Raschig 'Erample I-Gas-parification hydrogen sulfide removal from illuminating gas. Illuminating gas containing 0.0540 gramof hydrogen sulfide per liter'of gas was introduced into the tower through inlet 2. A 4% solution of soda ash was introduced into the column through pipe 6 and by means of the distributing sprayer l9 and partitions 3i flowing downwardly 15. Thus the illuminating gas passed in intimate contact with the soda ash solution in packed tubes l5, the scrubbed gas leaving the tower'throu'gh outlet 5. Samples of the scrubbed gas were tested quantitatively to 7 determine the amount of hydrogen sulfide remaining therein and it was found that the gases contained 0.000133 gram of hydrogen sulfide per liter-of gas, 1. e., a removalof more than 99.7%

' of the hydrogen sulfide present in the unscrubbed gas Ervample II-Gas"pdrificatiOm-cdrbbn dioxide removal froma hydrogen, carbon dioxide gas miaztane. -A gas containing about 14.3 parts carbon dioxide and 85.? parts hydrogen was introduced into the column through inlet 2 and fed "therethrough at the rate of .7-cubic foot per minute.- Scrubbing liquid through the 'be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limit-- I of gas liquid stream individual (entire length of said streams, unitingthe gas "each of cross-sectional area not squareinches, introducing a streamof illuminating gas into a second gas space, dividing said consisting substantial- 5 1y of a 10% aqueous solution of caustic soda was introduced into the column through inlet pipe 6 at the rate of .63 gallon per minute. The sombbing liquid was equally distributed by the distributing sprayer l9 and flowed downwardly in 5 equal streams through the packed tubes IS in contact with the ascending gas streams. The sample of the gas withdrawn throughpipe 5 was analyzed and was foundqtolgbe free, of carbon dioxide.

Since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above process without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall mg sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gas purification process involving the scrubbing of gas with liquid, the improvement which comprises introducing a stream of liquid into a gas space, dividingfsaid streamof liquid while in said gas space into a plurality of substantially equal portions,-fiowing said portions through columns'of packing to form a plurality of equally spaced liquid streams of equal-and "uniform circular cross-sectional area throughout their length and each of across-sectional area not exceeding '7 square inches, introducing a stream into a second gas'space, dividing'said stream of gas into a plurality of spaced streams;

each of a cross-sectional area not exceeding 7 .square inches, each individual to a single liquid stream, andeach of a length at least equal to 25 times the diameter of a circle equal in area to the cross-sectional area of the said stream, causing each gas stream to fiowover the packingin intimate contact with and countercurrent to the thereto throughout the streams in said first-mentioned gas space, and withdrawing the united gas stream from said first-mentioned gas space.

2. In a combustible gas purification process involving the scrubbing of illuminating gas containing hydrogen sulfide witha solution of soda ash, the improvement which comprises introducing a stream of soda ash into a gas space, dividing said stream of'soda ash while in said gas T space into a plurality of substantially equal porr'tions, flowing said portions through columns of 'packing to form a soda ash streams of equal plurality of equally spaced and uniform circular cross-sectional area throughout their length and exceeding '7 stream of illuminating gas into a plurality of and each of a length at" intimate contact with and countercurrentto the3.65

soda ash stream individual thereto throughout ,the entire length of said streams, 'u'nitin'gthe illuminating gas a .,,gas space, and withdrawing the united illuminating gas streamv frofm said firs streams in said first-mentioned t-mentioned gaslflo space. I FREDERICK H, 

